The present invention relates to devices for emptying containers and, more particularly, to devices for emptying viscous material from barrels, such as 55 gallon drums.
Much toxic and hazardous material is disposed of by combustion in incinerators, rotary reactors and cement kilns wherein the material is subjected to high temperatures, typically in the range of 1,500 C., so that the organic constituents of the material are burned and broken down into harmless components. However, much of such toxic and hazardous material is delivered to the disposal site in 55 gallon drums or the like and is in a highly viscous form, having a consistency which approaches that of putty or clay. Accordingly, it is necessary to remove such material from the drums in which it was transported and treat the material so that it has a consistency appropriate for substantially complete combustion in a reactor. Furthermore, it is necessary to remove as much of the hazardous or toxic material from such drums as possible in order to reduce the subsequent labor-intensive steps of cleaning the drums for reuse and shipment to the source of the material.
While there are presently no devices which are specially designed for removing substantially the entire contents of a drum of viscous, toxic or hazardous material, devices for emptying the contents of drums are known. For example, Shorten U.S. Pat. No. 1,145,927 discloses a machine for emptying barrels which includes a double helix of blades mounted on a central shaft and having an outer diameter which approximates the inner diameter of the barrel to be emptied. The central shaft is splined and mounted on a fixed support structure. A fixed gear is mounted on the splined shaft and rotated by a spur gear to provide rotational motion, and a lever is provided to advance and retract the central shaft.
Similarly, in Mosher U.S. Pat. No. 1,347,649, a barrel emptying device uses stationary gears to provide rotation for an auger and the central shaft of the auger is threaded and engages a stationary nut to provide advancing motion. Pulleys are provided to retract the auger from the barrel.
While such antiquated devices incorporate reciprocating augers for emptying barrels, their power sources are labor intensive and there are no provisions for negotiating their augers about a sideward projection in the barrel being emptied, such as a side bung. Accordingly, there is a need for a system for emptying a barrel of highly viscous, toxic or hazardous material which is more automated and more reliable than such prior art devices.